Process of laminating multiply webs



Patented Dec. 22, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE asas-17s PROCESS FLAMINATING MULTIPLY WEBS lRobert E. Meany, Chicago, Inll., assigner toWm.

Wrigley Jr. Company, Chicago, Ill., a. corporation of DelawareApplication November 8, 1939, Serial No. 303,349

1 claim.

This invention relates to a` novel and improved laminated web and aprocess for making the same, and consists of the matters hereinafterdescribed and more particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

The improved laminated web is designed to be fed to a machine forwrapping packages of chew.- ing gum or the like wherein it is severed atpredetermined intervals into wrappers of equal length, each bearingprinted or colored label matter symmetrically disposed and designed toappear in proper relation to the sides and ends of the wrapped package.

One object of the invention is to provide a multi-ply web comprising anouter ply of Cellophane upon which are dened by color and otherwise aplurality of wrappers of like length disposed end to end on said web,and'each bearing label matter; an inner ply of metal foil; and anintermediate ply of wax paper adhered on one face to the cellophane plyand on the other face to the foil ply.

In the making of s uch a multi-ply web the foil, the wax paper and theCellophane plies are severally drawnA from magazine rolls, from whichthey pass over idle rolls 'and thence between heated pressure rolls tolaminate the multi-ply web, which is then cooled in a suitable manner.

It has been found that whatever means may be used to prevent it, theseveral plies are apt to Weave from side to side of the path designed tobe followed by each of them from its respective roll. As a result theassociated lateral edges of the several plies fail to register, and amargin.

of the paper and/or foil ply will project slightly beyond the associatededge of the Cellophane web, sometimes at one side and sometimes at theother, and be exposed to view in the laminated web, with the result thatthe appearance of the wrapped package will be marred.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved laminated weband process for making the same, in which the edges of the paper and/orof the foil will not be exposed in the laminated web beyond the edges ofthe Cellophane, with thev unsightly appearance at the end of the packageresulting therefrom.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view showing an apparatus for laminating amulti-ply web of the kind. l

Figure 2 is a plan view showing fragmentary lengths of the several pliesintended to form the improved laminated web, with said lengths super-.posed upon one4 another (with'the Cellophane web uppermost) to show therelative widths of said plies.

Figure 3 is a partial cross section through th laminated multi-ply web,drawn on an exagger, ated scale, to show one of the possible relationsofthe several edges of the plies in the nished product. i

Referring no'w to the drawing: I 0 indicates a magazine roll of foilmounted in any suitable or familiar manner to rotate upon itslongitudinal central axis Ina; I I indicates a roll of wax paper mountedto rotate upon its central axis IIB; and I2 indicates a roll of a ply oflabel-bearing Cellophane with wrappers successively dened thereon,mounted to rotate upon its central axis I2. As a ply of Cellophaneprinted and colored as described is old, the printing and coloring arenot shown in the drawing. Said printing and coloring are disposed on thesurface-I2 of the Cellophane ply I2, which surface is the one presentedto the outside when a package is wrapped. Ihe so-called wax paper of theroll II is thermoplastic. Specifically, it is a thin paper impregnatedon both surfaces with an adhesive which is non-tacky when cold, so thatthe paper may be rolled upon itself without adherence of adja centwindings of the roll. Said adhesive, however, becomes quite tacky whenheated and acts to securely adhere the paper to the Cellophane on oneside and to the metal foil on the other side. The result is a three-plylaminated web with the plies secured together in close relation so thatthey act together as one.

The use of the paper as an adhesive bearer 35 intermediate theCellophane and the foil stiffens the multi-ply web and the wrapperssevered therefrom.' This makes it possible to use a much lighter foilrequired for wrappers of a certain stiiness with a substantial reductionin the 'expense of the web and of the wrappers made therefrom.

I3, I4 indicate pressure rolls between which the several webs arepassed, first being passed about idle rolls I5, I6 and I1 as clearlyindicated ln the drawing. Beyond said heated pressure rolls I3, I4 thelaminated web is subjected to cooling means and then passes as thefinished web I8 to the wrapping machine (not shown) in a'familiarmanner.

The Cellophane wrapper-defining ply I2 is made wider than the foil plyIIJ and the wax paper ply II. This. is shown in Figure 2 where thelateral edges |21, I2x of the Cellophane ply I2 are spaced apart at adistance greater than 55 the lateral edges IDX, I 0X of the foil ply I0,and f 2 the lateral edges I Ix, ilx of the wax paper ply l I.

Preferably, and as producing the best result, the Cellophane ply I2 ismade about ly of an inch wider than the foil ply l0 and the intermediatewax paper ply Il. This approximates the maximum of the relative lateralweave of the several plies. When the laminated nished web I8 isproduced, neither the lateral edges of the foil nor the lateral edges ofthe wax paper will be exposed beyond the lateral edges I2X, I2x of theCellophane ply l2, but will remain within the limits defined by saidedges as shown in exaggerated detail in Figure 3.

As a result, when the Wrappers are severed from the web I8 and appliedto the packages, neither the foil nor wax paper plies will be exit issuperposed, by an amount limited to compensate for the relative weave ofthe several' plies V comprising said wab, to prevent the appearance ofthe lateral edge of a narrow ply beyond the 15 edge of the outer ply.

ROBERT E. MEANY.

